Modified generators power offshore wind farm

Building a wind farm with 80 wind turbines needs plenty of temporary power. Put the wind farm out at sea, and the power requirements get more complicated. The Meerwind Süd/Ost wind farm, built by WindMW in the German Bight, needed power during construction to keep the turbines turning and meet the strict warranty conditions from the manufacturer.

The project managers called on us to deliver generators to each of the 80 turbines. And with our power behind them, the equipment would work at its peak until the offshore site was connected to the mainland grid.

Our standard generators aren’t built for life at sea. So our main task – once the power needs of the wind farm were established – was to modify the 80 generators for offshore operation. We needed to work fast.

From waterproofing the seals to modifying the air inlets, we made sure the generators could withstand whatever weather was thrown at them. Our six engineers on the job were also upskilled in offshore applications so they’d be fully prepared for the task at hand. 

With our 80 generators safely installed out at sea, the wind turbines rotated smoothly on the calmest of days, and their safety beacons glowed steadily at night. The strict conditions of the turbine manufacturer’s warranty were ticked off, giving WindMW the peace of mind that their investment was protected from the outset.

What’s more, the system could be monitored and controlled from dry land. So, if rough weather was preventing a trip out to re-fuel the generators, WindMW could flick a switch to temporarily turn things off – again meeting the strict warranty conditions